Advanced Mindset does not accept direct payment from insurance companies unless there is a clinical diagnosis that would become part of a medical record. If you are diagnosed, you may be fully or partially reimbursed by your insurance company for services rendered; however, you will be responsible for submitting claims to your insurer. Advanced Mindset can provide you with the necessary paperwork to submit a claim. For most insurance companies, we are considered “out of network” providers. If you are planning to submit a claim to your insurance provider, you may want to contact them first and discuss your benefits. Some helpful questions to ask are: Does my plan cover mental health services? If so, do you cover out of network providers? Do I have a session limit? What is the allowable amount?

What is the difference between a sport psychologist and a regular psychologist?

Sport psychologists have additional training, education, and experience working with athletes of all types: from soccer, football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, gymnastics, diving, lacrosse, hockey, equestrian, baseball, softball, track & field, wrestling, etc. They are also licensed to work as a psychologist in all areas of mental health, including anxiety, fear, adjustment, depression, relational problems, eating issues, attention difficulties, substance use, etc. However, sport psychologists generally work less with severe mental illness issues and more with performance enhancement and peak performance.

Will I learn new skills?

-See blog post “Learning to Walk”

You will not necessarily have to learn new skills. Most of the mental skills and aspects of sport psychology are already familiar to most athletes - you will recognize them through self-reflection if not by name. Sport psychologist can assist in refining, improving, sharpening, and making you more aware of skills such as goal setting, awareness, psyching-up, relaxing, self-talk, imagery, confidence, motivation, team cohesion, and focus and attention.

What should I expect when I meet with an Advanced Mindset sport psychologist?

A session with an Advanced Mindset Sport Psychologist includes:

-Assistance and clarity in understanding the purpose of the meeting (from an athlete’s, coach’s, team’s, agent’s, and sport psychologist’s perspective)

-Identifying problems, issues, and goals

-Creating awareness of strengths and limitations

-Identifying what has already been done and why it is not working

-Coordinating with the necessary resources to optimize performance and efficiency moving forward

The sport psychologist will likely ask a lot of questions in the first meeting to ensure any issues are well understood by all parties. It can sometimes take a few meetings to fully grasp the scope of the issues and the necessary tools to overcome challenges. Homework will be assigned to ensure fast and efficient progress toward clearly identified goals.

How many sessions/how much time should I expect to work with the sport psychologist?

-Please read “What to expect...” FAQ

Once we arrive at a clear understanding of the purpose of the meeting, the number of sessions can better be determined. A goal of all sessions is to help develop independent management and coping strategies overcome struggles.

Isn’t psychology just for people with issues?

-Please review blog post “Dynamic Role”

A sport psychologist can be seen as similar in some respects to a physical therapist and in other respects to a personal trainer. In one specialty you are returning your body to regular functioning after an injury or set back. In the second specialty you are likely fully healthy but looking to enhance your strength, stamina, endurance, agility, health, and/or performance. A sport psychologist provides therapy when needed and training when desired so that the mind and body working together are at their peak in all areas of performance.

“As a professional poker player, Dr. Gassaway's help was invaluable to me ... he has mastered the subtle complexities of the competitive mind, and his advise is universal to anyone competing at the highest levels in any arena. ... Truly I recommend him highly to anyone seriously interested in competing at their maximum potential.”